Langham letter facts for kids
The Langham letter, published around 1580, is a very important historical document. It tells us a lot about the fun events and parties held during the time of Elizabeth I of England in England. The letter was written on August 20, 1575, from Worcester. Its long title is A letter: whearin, part of the entertainment vntoo the Queenz Maiesty, at Killingwoorth Castl, in Warwik Sheer in this soomerz progress 1575. iz signified: from a freend officer attendant in the coourt, vntoo hiz freend a citizen, and merchaunt of London. It describes a huge party and show put on for Queen Elizabeth I by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. This event happened at Kenilworth Castle during the summer of 1575. The letter was sent to Humfrey Martyn, whose father, Sir Roger Martyn, was a leader of the Mercers' Company, a powerful group of merchants.
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The Langham Letter
The Langham letter is a unique look into the grand events of the Elizabethan era. It gives us a detailed picture of the celebrations held for Queen Elizabeth I.
Who Wrote the Letter?
People have long debated who truly wrote this famous letter. It mentions the author's name several times, which has led to some interesting ideas.
Robert Langham's Story
Many historians believe the letter was written by a man named Robert Langham or Laneham. He lived from about 1535 to 1579 or 1580. Langham was a mercer, which means he traded fine fabrics. He also worked as a keeper of the privy council chamber. This was a special room where the Queen's closest advisors met. In the letter, the author calls himself "Lanham" or "Laneham," "Langham," "Ro. La.," and "R. L. Gent. Mercer." He also says he got his job as "Clark of the Councell chamber doore" thanks to Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester. Records show that Langham was paid £10 every April from 1573 to 1579 for his work.
Was it William Patten?
Even though the letter seems to name Langham as the author, some people think it was written by William Patten. They believe Patten wrote it as a joke at Langham's expense. This idea has been accepted by some experts. The arguments for Patten's authorship are based on a few things. His writing style, the way he organized his ideas, and the words he used are very similar to other works known to be by Patten. Also, Patten's handwriting looks very much like the writing found in two copies of the letter that have notes on them. We also know that Patten was actually at the Kenilworth festivities. He even wrote some Latin poems to welcome the Queen.
How the Letter Became Famous
The Langham letter has been reprinted many times over the centuries, showing its lasting importance.
It was printed again in Warwick in 1784. Later, it appeared in a collection called Progresses of Queen Elizabeth by John Nichols. The famous writer Sir Walter Scott used parts of the letter in his novel Kenilworth, which came out in 1821. Because of this, the letter was published again in London that same year. It was also reprinted in Amye Robsart by George Adlard in 1870. In 1871, it appeared in the Rev. Edward Hadarezer Knowles's Castle of Kenilworth. Finally, it was included in the publications of the Ballad Society in 1871, edited by Furnivall.